Leeward Side Recovery Continues

NANAKULI (KHNL)- The storm clean-up continues on the Waianae coast. Many homes and businesses there are still without power, a third night in a row.

While about 830 people island wide are still without power, the one problem affecting all leeward residents is the traffic.

Farrington Highway is still down to one lane in each direction. That may continue tomorrow.

Hawaiian Electric crews work to repair some of the 30 or so downed poles along Farrington highway. The damage here is extensive and again Thursday leads to blocked lanes and a miles-long traffic jam . "It's bad, people grumble in cars, seeing cars drive on other side of lane. Hey people got to get to work and they should open the back road, the Kole Kole road." says neighbor Gina Mederios.

We found one grocery store open. Sack-n-Save.

"On the bus, it took hours to get here because of the traffic, " says Lucille Sanchez

She is looking for lunch. "Sweetbread, we have no food. The food is all spoiled in the ice box and the electric is out and we can't cook."

Employees toss out frozen pizzas and cartons of ice cream.

"It's an unfortunate situation, these are same poles that went down a year and a half ago. How long will these poles that they put in last, another wind have same catastrophe? " wonders Berta Kamana.

"We decided to upgrade and we are installing larger poles that should strengthen the circuit in this area," says HECO's Darren Pai.

They're looking at long term solutions like burying the lines. "It's something that has to be worked out between us, the community, government agencies and all stakeholders," reminds Pai.

"I think we need to do a permanent fix out this way, " concludes Kamana.

In 2015, the Federal government passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, allowing states to limit the amount of time that students take standardized tests. A similar bill is traveling through the Hawaii legislature.

In 2015, the Federal government passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, allowing states to limit the amount of time that students take standardized tests. A similar bill is traveling through the Hawaii legislature.